


An Aderyn Christmas Special

by southdownsraph



Series: Magpie Universe [3]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Anxiety, Body Worship, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Smut, Counter Sex, Eating Disorders, Emotional, Fluffyfest, Found Family, Naked Cuddling, Oral Sex, Other, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Praise, Scars, Teasing, Vaginal Sex, muffing, playfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:29:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28099227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/southdownsraph/pseuds/southdownsraph
Summary: AJ spends their first Christmas with Ezra having plenty of silly fun, and a good amount of rather fluffy sex.This story is part of my Magpie series, and features my human AU characters AJ and Ezra! :)
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Magpie Universe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011000
Comments: 26
Kudos: 54
Collections: AJ’s personal faves





	1. A Brief (Important) Introduction

Hey everyone! 

As the title suggests, this is a short introduction to this piece that I think is important to read. First of all, if you aren't familiar with my Magpie/Aderyn characters, a lot of this probably isn't going to make sense! I would have put this as a chapter in Aderyn, but I'm not at all sure how this fits into the story and I'm not even sure if I'm considering it 'canon' or not. I just wanted to write some Christmas fluff for these two that didn't spoil anything coming up in Aderyn, so it doesn't fit super well into the timeline. Although I probably will reference it later on, or make it fit somehow, I just thought I should let you guys know that this isn't supposed to be right after chapter 5. 

Anyway, on to the **important bit:** the explanation about the sex in this chapter - I expected to be further through Aderyn before posting this, but due to life stuff getting in the way, I'm not lol and the specific type of sex they have in this chapter doesn't come up until chapter 17 (? I think) of Aderyn, so I'll offer a quick little explanation.

I have another story about this called Something Better Than Cake, but this sex act is called muffing, and involves the inguinal canals, located on either side of the penis. Basically, this is where the balls go when someone who owns a penis tucks their genitals, and is also where they drop from, and can be safely fingered and stimulated (it's not pleasurable for everyone, though) and is often favoured by trans feminine people due to the lessened dysphoria around it. I'm providing a link to a vice article [here](https://www.vice.com/en/article/59dxw3/a-guide-to-muffing-the-hidden-way-to-finger-trans-women) that has more in depth (and somewhat science-y) explanations of how this works, with references to a zine written by a trans woman. 

Okay! Explanation over lol, please enjoy!


	2. Christmas Eve

AJ had been wrapping presents in the living room for about an hour, spread out on the floor and wrestling with tape. Finally, though, all the presents were wrapped and under the tree, a little messy, but warming AJ's heart when they saw them all together like that. The ones beside them were neat and pretty and tied with ribbon thanks to Ezra's deft fingers, but AJ didn't mind. They didn’t mind that they'd had to stick several plasticy bows to different presents in order to hide tears in the wrapping, or that they'd used almost half a roll of tape. 

After all, Ezra was much more experienced with Christmas - he'd told AJ about some of his good memories, of baking with his grandmother and playing with his brand new toys with his sister. But all AJ remembered were the parties their parents had thrown; lavish, expensive, and only for adults. They'd always been tucked away upstairs as the family shame, and on the rare occasion they'd snuck out of their bed to watch the glittering, laughing crowd from the stairs, they'd always felt so distant from it all, so alone. And sometimes - the worst times - Gabriel would whisk them off back to bed and talk to them. AJ shuddered at the thought and got to their feet hurriedly, shoving away the bad memories and instead reaching out, toying with one of the tree's small branches. 

It wasn't a particularly tall or fancy tree, but it smelled so lovely; of pine and forest, and AJ would always remember playfighting with Ezra over who got to put the star at the top. They had to focus on that - on making new memories with their partner, and the thought made them glance down the hall towards the bedroom. 

It was Christmas Eve and Ezra was still working on his dissertation. AJ frowned, then quickly crouched down again, packing away the wrapping supplies and tidying while they plotted. Getting Ezra's attention away from his work wasn't usually very easy, so when AJ straightened up, they hooked their thumbs in the waistband of their soft pajama pants and pulled them down slowly, folding them before slipping their panties off as well. The thick, baggy Christmas jumper they'd borrowed from Ezra fell down to their mid-thigh, the sleeves dangling over their hands, and AJ smiled triumphantly, knowing he'd find them irresistibly adorable. Confident, AJ walked down the hall slowly, fluffing their hair with their long fingers and humming to themself before bumping the bedroom door open with their hip. 

"Hey, sweetheart. You finished?" Ezra mumbled, without looking up from his laptop. AJ rolled their eyes fondly and leaned against the doorframe, expertly arranging their body to look as inviting as possible, hips cocked. 

"Yeah, I am. Wanna come see?" They grinned, and Ezra nodded distantly, rubbing his chin as he squinted at the screen. 

"Mmm, in a minute." 

AJ huffed an annoyed breath, the smile already fading, but they had a few more tricks still tucked away in those rather baggy sleeves. They stalked over to him slowly, hands stroking over his shoulders before gently beginning to massage his muscles. 

Ezra shrugged them off. "Hold on a minute, magpie, I'll be there in-"

It was childish, but AJ was feeling too impatient to get out the full toolkit at their disposal, so instead, they licked his cheek. 

Ezra froze for a second in shock, then finally turned his head, his eyes wide. A low growl started in his throat, and AJ giggled, stepping back just as he got up, lunging towards them with a playful glint in his eye. Adrenaline already pumping, AJ shrieked and fled, laughing all the way as they bolted into the kitchen. But not too fast. 

Their partner caught up with them easily, laughing now as well, his hands catching their hips as they made a half-hearted effort to escape, and they found themself pinned back against the counter. Chest heaving, AJ stared down at Ezra for a moment, then grinned as they were tugged down into a kiss, both of them giggling too much for their lips to make proper contact. But AJ didn't care, they felt far too happy to need real kisses, all they needed was Ezra's face close to theirs, his breath on their skin, his joyful laugh in their ears. All they wanted was to be with him, in the moment, and they got it in bucketfuls, his gentle, plump fingers tangling in their hair. 

"I love you," AJ gasped quickly, and Ezra hummed his agreement, his other hand cupping their jaw, his head tilting slowly. A brief, tense hesitation, and then he was finally kissing them, his mouth opening against theirs, drawing them deeper. AJ gladly melted into the passionate, easy, loving kiss, barely having to think about kissing him anymore. It just happened. There was no conscious effort, they simply kissed and kissed until they couldn't breathe. 

Ezra was the first to break away, AJ always being a little more stubborn, but they let him go, their fingertips still resting on his warm cheek. They weren't sure when they'd moved their hand, but they were glad they had, their eyes fixing on that beautiful blue in front of them. Ezra smiled up at them softly, and AJ grinned, still slightly breathless. 

"I love you too," he said, after just a moment. AJ nodded, leaning back against the counter again and folding their arms over their chest. It was all too easy to feign grumpiness, despite Ezra's unfailing smile. 

"You wouldn't pay attention to me," AJ grumbled in an annoyed tone, and Ezra chuckled, rolling his eyes just as AJ realised their jumper had ridden up when they'd folded their arms. 

"You really are a needy little thing, aren’t you?" Ezra teased, then seemed to realise something was up and looked down suddenly. His smile spread into a smirk and he raised an eyebrow, causing AJ's cheeks to burn in defiant embarrassment as he lifted his gaze to theirs. "Needier than I thought," he purred, and before AJ could react, he was lifting them up, strong arms around them, planting them firmly on the kitchen counter. 

"Hey!" AJ squealed, then burst into a giggling fit, even as they felt Ezra spreading their legs gently, his body slotting between them comfortably, soft fingers pressing into their sides. 

"I wanna see you properly," he explained with a chuckle, then reached over and grabbed one of the cookies they'd decorated together just hours before, this one in the shape of a Christmas tree. "Now, open your mouth, sweetheart. You promised to taste test these for me earlier."

Their cheeks still flushed bright red, AJ smiled down into those lovely blue eyes, one hand stroking over his fluffy curls and the side of his adorable face. "God, you're perfect," they murmured, then gently took the cookie from Ezra, taking a modest bite from the top of the tree. He grinned, pride shining in his eyes, and slid his hands over their thighs, squeezing their lithe muscles gently. 

"What a good little bird," he praised in a low, gravelly tone, and AJ whined, swallowing the bite before taking another, enjoying the buttery, sugary taste on their tongue. Their legs spread wider, purely reflexively, and Ezra's beautiful eyes filled with love, his fingers tugging the tacky sweater up just enough to reveal the slight padding around AJ's stomach, the extra softness on their athletic frame. 

"My beauty, my goddess," he breathed, and AJ shivered with delight and happy anticipation, the rest of the cookie falling disregarded from their fingers. Ezra's hand ran over their belly, his own digits spreading, pressing into the flesh there as his lips parted. There was nothing in his gaze but pure adoration, and AJ allowed themself to bask in it, soaking it all up. "What a lovely, pretty little tummy you have," he murmured, and AJ let out a soft sigh, eyes half-hooded as they looked down at the love of their life. He alone was allowed to use the word 'tummy' to refer to them, and he knew how it made them feel. It made them feel loved and accepted and absolutely gorgeous - all because Ezra was the only person who'd ever called their stomach such a sweet, adorable name. "I just want to kiss it all over," he added quietly, and AJ bit their lip hard, their fingers carding through his cotton candy-soft hair. They wanted it, they wanted his lips on their skin more than anything, but they didn't dare ask. So they waited. 

"May I?" Ezra whispered, turning his head to stare up at them, his eyes round and sweet and almost as needy as AJ felt. They nodded, swallowing the lump in their throat hurriedly before forcing out a hoarse 'yes.' Ezra dipped his head again and a gasp tore through AJ's throat as his warm, tender lips brushed their skin, ever so gentle. They would never get used to how easily he took them apart with nothing but the most innocent of touches, his words making them melt, his breath on them so divine it sent shivers down their body. It was just so ridiculously easy for him, and AJ knew it all came down to their shared love. 

Ezra's lips pressed firmly to one of their many thick scars, and AJ let out a slow breath, relaxing into their emotions and stroking Ezra's hair again as their spare hand gripped the edge of the counter. "I love you, angel, I just...I-I love you," they whispered, and he smiled against their skin, finding another scar and dismantling a tiny piece of yet another awful memory with a light, trembling little kiss. 

"I know you do, my sweetheart. My love. I love you too," Ezra breathed, his breath warm on their skin, his hands massaging their thighs lightly, moving higher. AJ shifted, rocking into his hands slightly by way of silent invitation. They could feel their length starting to fill out, twitching between their legs as their anticipation grew. 

"Can I touch you?" Ezra asked in a voice so low AJ wasn't sure they'd heard it at first. And then he looked up at them, his expression so soft they nearly burst into tears. 

"Of course, angel. I trust you," they answered simply, and Ezra smiled a radiant, beautiful smile, his hand sliding up to cup their balls, two fingers pressing back and finding the piercing on their perineum. AJ gasped and tipped their head back, their legs wrapping tight around Ezra's waist as pleasure rippled through them, his fingertips pressing right up into their prostate. 

"I've got you, sweetheart, shhh," Ezra soothed, keeping his fingers rubbing back and forth slowly as he reached over and grabbed the bottle of olive oil from its place beside the stove. "Relax."

"Mmm, don't tell me to- ahhh! Relax when you're-" AJ breathed, cutting themself off with a loud moan as Ezra set the bottle down and used his other hand to press one of AJ's balls up. It slipped into their body easily, and AJ jerked slightly as it settled into place, whimpering happily. Their head tipped back against the cabinets and Ezra hummed his satisfaction, slowly pressing on the other side. Another little pop of pleasure, and AJ twitched, their length now sitting heavy and leaking on their lower stomach. 

Fingers tightening in Ezra's hair, AJ rocked their hips slightly, moaning at the feeling of their balls shifting inside their stomach. Ezra grinned and kept gently rubbing at their piercing, his other hand coming up to trace the little mounds under the protective layer of flesh, then pressing down ever so lightly. Jerking again, AJ moaned desperately, their balls slipping back into their sack in quick succession and causing a little more pre to spill onto their stomach. 

"Do you want me to finger you, sweetheart?" Ezra asked very softly, and AJ growled breathlessly, their knuckles going white on the edge of the counter, their back arching up. The teasing pleasure was already getting too much, they needed to finish, and they needed it  _ right away. _ They weren't used to being teased much anymore, not since Ezra had had his testosterone dosage adjusted again. He'd been needing to get there as quickly as possible, but now things seemed to have evened out for him, and he was back to being just a little bit of a bastard when they had sex. 

"I wanted it fucking yesterday!" AJ snapped, and Ezra chuckled, taking his hands away from them and reaching for the oil. He tipped just a little onto one hand, then carefully, slowly spread it over AJ's tip, coating it in slick before sliding his other hand down slightly. AJ took a slow breath in in anticipation, then let it out in a deep, happy moan as Ezra's finger teased at that special little entrance beside the base of their shaft, the tip opening them up slowly, bit by bit. 

Meanwhile, his other hand gently pinned their length to their stomach, the palm resting against their shaft while his thumb stroked along the ridge at the base of their tip. The contact right on one of their most sensitive spots was making AJ shudder, their mouth hanging open silently, their body shivering all over. Pleasure coursed through them, and as Ezra's finger pressed deeper into them, all AJ could do was whine. 

Apparently realising they were getting overstimulated, Ezra stilled his thumb on AJ's tip, focusing on his finger's journey all the way into their narrow canal. "What a good little magpie, hmm?" He praised quietly, and AJ groaned happily, rocking against his hand as the tip of his finger pressed up against the end of that little space inside them. "That's it. So good for me," he murmured, pulling back briefly and starting to press two fingers in. AJ's eyes rolled back in their head and they panted softly, twitching under Ezra's hands as he spoke to them gently, telling them how good they were, how beautiful, how sensual. He told them how much he loved pleasuring them, how warm they felt around his fingers, and they couldn't help but simply sit there and shake. 

The pleasure was still sublime, that pressure inside them massaging the base of their length, easing their dysphoria, but AJ was feeling less overwhelmed as they got used to the sensation. And by the time both of Ezra's fingers had been fully worked into them, they were able to concentrate enough to stroke his hair again, leaning down all the way and just about managing to capture his lips in a soft, slow kiss. 

He chuckled against their lips and kissed back eagerly, but let them go as soon as they sat back, smiling up at them admiringly. "Are you going to come for me, my love?" Ezra questioned in such a sweet, gentle voice, AJ's heart melting in their chest as they stared down into those loving blue eyes. 

"Please," they whispered, and Ezra nodded, slowly starting to rub the pad of his thumb back and forth, his fingers beginning to thrust inside them. At first, it was shallow, more of a rocking motion than an actual thrust, but Ezra knew his partner well. As soon as AJ's moans began to escalate, the waves of pleasure growing stronger and more frequent, Ezra began to speed up, soon thrusting almost the entire length of his fingers in and out, in and out, in a mind-numbing, deliberate pace that made AJ cry out with every push. 

They felt as if their brain was melting in their skull, every thought in their mind dissolving into nothing, and then they looked down. Despite their little tummy and the layer of softness covering their pubic area, AJ could just make out the outline of Ezra's fingers as he pressed them up, curling them slightly within that private passage. The sight alone was enough to bring AJ's orgasm crashing down on them all at once, and they squealed happily, shouting their beloved's name as they spilled all over their own skin. 

"Ohh, that's it, good," Ezra encouraged softly, his fingers rocking, pleasuring them through their peak as they bucked and shuddered, gasping for breath. "I love to see you like this, sweetheart. Such a good little magpie." 

Out of breath and trembling with bliss, AJ slumped back just as Ezra wrapped his arms around them tightly, catching them and holding them protectively. His warm body felt immeasurably good against theirs, but AJ pushed him away ever so gently, grabbing some kitchen roll with one shaking hand. Before they could start to clean themself off, however, Ezra was already taking the wad from them, wetting it in the sink and slowly, carefully wiping their skin. 

"Angel, you are such a sweetie," AJ sighed happily, ruffling his hair and grinning at him as he stepped back. He tossed the kitchen roll in the bin and then reached up, his hands under their arms, supporting them as they slid off the counter and landed on pleasure-wobbly legs. 

"Only because you are, sweetheart," Ezra chuckled softly, and AJ leaned into him contentedly, wrapping their arms around his neck and burying their face in his hair. He squeezed their waist tightly, then slid one hand into their bouncy red locks, cradling the back of their head in that loving, tender way of his. "How about a nice cuddle on the couch? Hmm? We could put on a silly Christmas movie." 

AJ let out a quiet little sigh and nodded as they broke away from him, feeling warm and cosy and full of joy. They were making new memories, and they knew they'd remember this first happy Christmas for the rest of their life. 

"I would absolutely love that, Ezra," they announced, and he grinned, his arm wrapping around their waist for support as he led them to the living room. After dimming the lights slightly and helping AJ into their underwear, Ezra guided them to the couch and laid down first, allowing them the opportunity to take up one of their favourite cuddling positions. 

Eagerly, AJ dove onto the sofa, snuggling up to Ezra with their head resting on his chest, their body against his, their lithe thighs tucked between his thick ones. Almost without thinking, they tugged the blanket over both of them and nuzzled at Ezra's chest, letting out a happy, satisfied little sound as they relaxed. Ezra chuckled softly and slid one hand into their hair, the other using the remote to turn the TV on. 

"You always make the cutest cuddling sounds, y'know," he commented, and AJ smiled to themself, turning their head to kiss his chest. 

"You frequently tell me, angel," they smiled, and he sighed deeply, relaxing deeper into the sofa as he hugged AJ a little tighter. 

"Mm, how about a fun movie, hmm?" 

"Aren't you feeling a bit..?" AJ asked, trailing off before they could summon the courage to ask outright. 

"A bit, yeah," Ezra admitted softly, after a short, shy hesitation. "But I want one thing in particular, and I think um...well, I think you need to rest for a bit first, y'know? That is, if you feel up to.." Ezra mumbled, apparently picking up the trend of not finishing embarrassing sentences.

"I'd like that, but you're right, I do need a bit of a rest first." 

Ezra nodded and gestured to the TV with the remote. "These movies are all free with our TV provider, any you like the look of?" 

AJ stifled a yawn and hugged him tightly, looking at the list sleepily. 

"Hmm, what about Elf? That looks funny," they hummed, and Ezra nodded, selecting it and starting it playing. 

"Good choice. This used to be one of my favourites as a kid," he smiled, one hand sliding into AJ's hair and playing with the wavy, thick red locks. 

AJ relaxed, sinking into the calm, easy silence and letting their mind drift slightly while they watched the screen. Ezra had promised them that the next day would be nice and low-key, and they were just hoping he hadn't set up any big surprises. It was a lot to deal with, for them - just having a proper Christmas, and they wanted to spend it solely with their partner, curled up in pajamas and cuddling. 

"Magpie?" 

AJ blinked, roused from their daydream, and looked up at Ezra sleepily. "Mm?" 

He chuckled and combed his fingers through their hair slowly, gently teasing out the tangles. "Anathema and Lizzy have asked about coming over tomorrow, I told them I'd talk to you about it," he murmured, and AJ felt their cheeks flush, their lip caught between their teeth. 

"I um...can we do all that stuff on Boxing Day? I just wanna spend tomorrow with you," they admitted quietly, and Ezra nodded, wrapping his spare arm around their waist tightly. 

"Of course, my love. Whatever you want, we'll do, okay? I want you to have a good time," he soothed, and AJ relaxed, their soft smile spreading across their face once more. 

"God, I love you," they chuckled, and Ezra grinned, stroking the backs of his fingers down their cheek. 

"I love you too," he hummed, his bright blue eyes warm and caring as he shifted slightly, colour rising to his cheeks as well. "I'm still feeling a bit pent-up," he added quietly, and AJ giggled, rolling their eyes as they pushed themself up on their hands, leaning over him. 

"Yeah? Are there still condoms in the coffee table drawer?" They grinned, and he nodded, biting his lip as he stared up at them in eager, loving awe. 

"Yeah." 

"Then we're all set, hmm?" AJ purred, reaching over and opening the drawer to pull out one of the shiny little packets. It was becoming a habit for them as a couple to lay down on the couch to watch a movie and have it end in lazy, loving sex, and they were always too comfortable to move. Right now, AJ wanted to feel their partner just the way he was, pushing inside him and filling him up while they snuggled up to his chest. 

"Fuck, you're the best," Ezra muttered, and AJ chuckled, their nose wrinkling slightly as they tucked the condom behind his ear. 

"You better keep talking to me, angel, get me all fired up," they commanded, although they knew that as soon as they got their fingers inside him, they would be good to go. Feeling the warmth of his passage while they gently opened him up was always enough for them to imagine that slick, tight heat wrapping around them, their length fully hard in mere minutes every time. 

"I can't wait to feel you, I was thinking about it while I fingered you," Ezra moaned out shakily, just as AJ ran their hands down his chest, thumbs hooking under the waistband of his sweatpants. 

"Yeah? You want me inside you, angel?" They purred, and he swallowed, nodding hurriedly, his cheeks bright red in the dim light. 

"F-fuck yes." 

AJ smiled down at him lovingly and tilted their head slightly, shifting position. "Then I guess we'd better get these trousers off, hmm?" They murmured, but before Ezra could answer, they were already leaning down and pulling him into a slow kiss, his lips a little desperate against theirs. AJ kept the kiss gentle and calm, and Ezra settled into it, his hips lifting to help them pull his sweatpants down, his hand cradling the back of their head. 

And then AJ was pulling away, giggling softly as they slid down Ezra's body under the blanket, tugging his sweats down further and untangling them from his prosthetic leg. They tossed them away, delighting in Ezra's soft chuckle, and quickly moved back up, tugging at the hem of his t-shirt. 

"You want the works, hmm?" He grinned, and AJ nodded, sitting back so he had space to tug his shirt off and drop it over the edge of the sofa. 

"I always want to see all of you, Ezra. You know that," they answered happily, fingers spreading on his chest, kneading the fat under his skin and enjoying the feeling of his body hair under their touch. A fingertip traced one of Ezra's surgery scars absently, and he smiled, staying relaxed as AJ leaned down and kissed him ever so softly. "My handsome, perfect partner," they announced in a low voice, their lips barely a centimetre from his, their eyes half closed. "So much of you to cuddle and touch, hmm?" They added, smiling but keeping the same seductive tone as they ran their hands over the curves of his pillowy stomach. 

Ezra simply smiled, his eyes closed as he shivered under AJ's touch, and they felt a surge of fierce love in their chest. Everything about their partner was  _ perfect.  _ And loving on him like this, kissing him so softly and reminding him how stunning he was brought it all home again, a sharp pang constricting their lungs. 

AJ dove in needily, tugging him into a much deeper, faster kiss, needing him suddenly. They needed to feel his hands, they needed to touch him and hear his moans and know his trust. They needed to make him feel good, just like he had for them. So they slipped their hand into his underwear, hesitating only briefly to give him time to object. 

Instead, Ezra only opened his legs invitingly, and AJ smiled against his lips, their hand sliding down between those adorable, bite-able thighs. With the ease of plenty of practice, AJ's fingertips found the short little length of his cock and began to stroke, finding him already soaking wet. It seemed like he hadn't calmed down at all since seeing his partner finish, and AJ was beginning to feel their own excitement, straining at their silky panties. 

It wasn't exactly surprising - after all, AJ  _ loved  _ knowing that their own release could get Ezra so riled up, as it reminded them of how equal and reciprocal their sex life was now. Before meeting Ezra and finally retiring from sex work, AJ had been an object for men to use, never their own person with their own desires. But now, Ezra showed his love and his admiration for them through his eagerness to pleasure them, and his ability to draw satisfaction from seeing them come. For AJ, there was no greater demonstration of their gentle, caring relationship, at least within sexual situations, and it was no wonder the thought of it made them ache with need. 

"Mm, can I go inside?" AJ gasped out breathlessly, pulling away from the kiss reluctantly, their fingers still working up and down Ezra's cock expertly. 

His lips finally free once again, Ezra moaned loudly, hips bucking into their hand, his mouth barely able to form the words. "Yes!  _ God,  _ yes!" 

AJ laughed softly, nuzzling at his jaw as they brushed their fingers lower, teasing at his entrance gently. "Yeah? Magic word?" They prompted, and Ezra groaned deeply, turning his head towards them in a desperate search for even more contact. 

"Fuck! Please, sweetheart, please! I n-need you inside me, I n-need-" 

Ezra cut himself off with a loud squeal, his back arching, his muscles spasming. Their fingers now buried deep inside Ezra's slick, hot passage, AJ grinned and gave a soft purr, pressing a soothing kiss to the side of his neck. 

"Shhh, angel. I've got you, I just need to warm you up a bit, yeah? Tell me how it feels," they smiled, spreading their two fingers apart inside him, testing how tight he felt. 

Ezra moaned loudly, his voice deep and shuddering with pleasure, his back arching in an unconscious attempt to force AJ's fingers into his sweet spot. "F-fuck! Ohhh,  _ AJ,  _ it...it feels amazing, I just feel so r-ready for you!" 

"I know, angel, but I have to make sure," AJ said gently, starting to thrust their spread fingers slowly, working every inch of Ezra's channel to make sure it was fully slicked-up and opened up enough for penetration to be completely comfortable. 

"Ahh! Ohh, I love feeling you so deep inside, I-...fuck! I w-want more!" Ezra panted out shakily, and AJ smiled to themself, their fingers slipping from him as they reached out to pluck the condom from behind his ear. 

"Good, so do I," they snorted, quickly sitting back just long enough to discard their damp underwear and the thick jumper that was already making them sweat. The tearing of the condom packet made Ezra shiver under them, and they smiled down at him, rolling the condom on hurriedly. "Open your eyes, angel. Look at me." 

Blue eyes, washed out with pleasure and need, opened slowly, and AJ leaned down again, one hand around themself, guiding. Their lips met his forehead, and Ezra whined, parting his legs as wide as he could without putting himself in danger of falling off the couch. 

"I love you, angel," AJ murmured, their tip kissing his folds, and he moaned softly, staring up at them adoringly. 

"Please, magpie," he managed, and AJ kissed him, drawing him in deep as their hips pressed forward. They could feel his warm, slick folds against them, sliding over their tip, then the twitching muscles marking his entrance. He was tightening unconsciously, so AJ just gently teased at his opening for a moment or two, giving him time to relax and settle. 

Soon enough, Ezra's body began to slow, his chest heaving less, his hands tangling in AJ's hair and running up and down their back. And then they rocked against him a little harder than they'd intended, and sank halfway into him in one go, apparently having misjudged how much resistance there would be. 

Crying out shakily, Ezra flung his head back, his hips rolling, and AJ grinned to themself, burying their face in his neck before snapping their hips again. This time, Ezra squealed once more, his short fingernails digging into AJ's back lightly, his breath short and heavy. He was moaning words, but AJ couldn’t make them out between his desperate mumbling and their own preoccupation with the heavenly feeling of his passage around them, tight and hot and clenching when he moved. 

"Fuck, you feel good," AJ mumbled, shifting position carefully so they could cuddle up to him again, their arms wrapping around him, their face buried in his neck. Ezra let out a deep sigh and leaned his head against theirs, his strong arms sliding around their waist as they settled. 

"Mm, so do you, my love," he answered quietly, and AJ smiled to themself happily, nuzzling closer to his skin before starting to rock their hips slowly and deliberately, pushing up against the end of his passage with each gentle thrust. Soft moans chorused in the quiet room, both of them shivering in pleasure, AJ's body moving, rolling under the blanket. Ezra squeezed them tighter, his passage constricting at the same time, and they groaned deeply, snapping their hips again and relishing the soft cry from their angel. 

"I love you, angel, so so much," AJ gasped against his neck, and Ezra whined quietly, his fingertips digging into their back once more, his body rocking up against them as they set a slow, deep pace, their fingers tangling in his beautiful, fluffy hair. 

"I love you too, sweetheart. My magpie," Ezra groaned, and AJ pulled away from his neck hurriedly, tugging him into a deep kiss instead. He made a quiet sound of surprise, but kissed back eagerly, one hand sliding up to their hair, the other on their backside, grabbing a handful tightly and guiding them to thrust a little harder. 

AJ whined into the kiss and nipped at his bottom lip lightly, making him moan out, their lips parting. Closing their eyes, AJ just kept thrusting, slow and deep, their face just above Ezra's. Every now and then, he would summon the strength to lean up and kiss them, but it always dissolved into moans, soft, happy little sounds of love and pleasure. 

"T-touch me, p-please!" Ezra gasped suddenly, his head tipping back, his lips wet and shiny, his eyes distant and full of bliss. "Please! I'm g-gonna-" 

AJ reached down quickly, trailing their fingertips over Ezra's stomach before sliding their hand down between their bodies, finding their partner's cock easily. He groaned deeply, and AJ could tell he was close, they knew it would just be a few more thrusts, just a little deeper, just a little more and- 

Ezra bucked. His head flung back, his passage contracted, and he yelled AJ's name, rolling his hips over and over, fucking himself through his orgasm. AJ collapsed onto his chest, panting softly and burying their face in his neck happily as his twitches and groans subsided into a quiet stillness. His arms slid around them slowly, his head turning to nuzzle at their hair, and AJ simply smiled. 

"You didn't come, did you?" Ezra asked in a shaky, hoarse, but incredibly content voice. AJ shook their head slightly, trying to push themself up, but Ezra tightened his grip, not letting them up just yet. "One more minute," he mumbled sleepily, and AJ rolled their eyes fondly, pressing a loving kiss to their jaw. 

"You can have as long as you want, angel. You know I love cuddling you like this," they answered simply, and Ezra hummed low in his chest, his fingers curling and pressing into their skin lightly. 

"M'gonna finish you off, I just...need a minute," he mumbled, and AJ smiled, shaking their head slightly. 

"You don't have to, angel." 

"I know, but I want to," Ezra insisted gently, reaching down to their backside again and giving it another firm squeeze. "I hate leaving you hanging," he added quietly, and AJ just pressed a kiss to his cheek, pushing themself up again and this time succeeding. Ezra let go with a deep, reluctant sigh, and AJ carefully, slowly pulled back, allowing themself to slip out of him. Despite how shaky he was from his orgasm, Ezra managed to scramble up and scoop them into his arms, laughing as they squealed and grabbed onto him, giggling happily. A rush of pure joy and love flowed through them, and they cuddled close into his chest, gazing up at him adoringly as he carried them to the bedroom, both of them completely forgetting about the movie. 

As soon as the bedroom door swung shut behind them, Ezra was gently laying AJ in bed, sitting on the edge to remove his prosthetic leg. He set it aside carefully, then crawled onto the bed, grinning down at AJ as they blushed, a tad uncertain. 

"I'm gonna make you come, and then I'm gonna make us peppermint hot chocolate and we're going to snuggle up properly and finish the movie, m'kay?" He announced, and AJ just smiled, reaching up to stroke his cheek, cradling his warm skin tenderly. 

"That sounds perfect, angel. We can stay up and wait for Santa together," they joked softly, and Ezra nodded, leaning down to capture their lips in a soft, slow kiss. His hand ran up their thigh and AJ parted their legs without thinking, whining into the kiss as he rubbed at the crease between their thigh and their crotch. 

"Good little magpie," he murmured as he broke the kiss, his hand sliding up a little higher, his finger plunging back into that narrow little pocket. AJ gasped, their head tipping back, their eyes slipping closed, and Ezra ducked down their body, gently removing the condom. 

"Ezra, I-" 

"Shhh, it's okay," he soothed, warm lips pressing against their base in a tender kiss. "Deep breath, my love. Everything's okay, I promise." 

AJ nodded slightly, letting out a slow breath and relaxing back into the mattress, their hand finding his hair and simply caressing the back of his head. "I love you." 

"I know," Ezra replied simply, and his warm breath flickered over their tip just before he took them into his mouth, suckling at their head while his finger pressed deeper, rubbing at their base from the inside. Knowing they wouldn't last much longer, AJ curled their fingers in Ezra's hair, moaning out their pleasure and encouraging him breathlessly. His tongue swirled expertly, caressing their sensitive skin, toying with the ridge at the base of their tip, and they gasped, their buildup already starting. 

"Ohhh God, angel!" AJ whined, biting down hard on their lip, their back arching. "Yes! I'm g-gonna come, I-...ohhh!" 

Another swirl of his tongue, a slow thrust of his finger, and AJ tipped over the edge, moaning softly as they spilled into his warm mouth, his quiet hums of satisfaction elevating their bliss to another level. Ezra suckled at their tip almost soothingly while they came, milking every last drop from them and helping them ride out the orgasm as his finger slid from inside them. And then finally he was pulling back with a soft little pop, his hands all over them as they panted happily, utterly done in. 

"My beautiful sweetheart," Ezra purred, crawling up their body slowly and peppering their skin with kisses all the way up. "How was that?" 

AJ opened their eyes slowly, gazing up at him through the pink fog of pleasure, a smile spreading across their face. "Amazing, angel, thank you. I believe I was promised hot chocolate?" 

Ezra chuckled and kissed them quickly, then sat up and grabbed his crutches. "I'll go clean myself up first, okay?" 

"You'd better be quick, I'm missing you already," AJ warned, and he just grinned, winking at them as he got up. 

In fact, Ezra didn't take long at all, and within about ten minutes, AJ was curled up on the sofa again, this time with their hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate, their body pressed comfortably against their partner's. Ezra's arm tightened around them briefly. 

"Is it good?" He asked gently, and AJ looked up at him, their eyes soft, their heart a melted puddle of joyous, loving contentment. 

"It's better than anyone else could ever know, angel." 


	3. Christmas Day

When AJ woke the next morning, they were alone. It took them a moment to realise this, but as soon as the emptiness of the bed beside them broke through the sleepy fog, they were up, scrambling out of the bedroom in nothing but a pair of their frilly sleeping shorts, blinking in the light.

Soft humming sounded from the kitchen, and AJ relaxed slightly, just as Ezra began to sing softly, making AJ roll their eyes fondly as the words to  _ All I Want For Christmas Is You  _ hung in the air. 

They walked slowly, so as not to make too much noise, and reached the doorway of the kitchen without being noticed, smiling to themself while they watched Ezra poking at bacon in a pan. Despite their annoyance at waking up without their partner for a good cuddle, they couldn't help but admire how cute he was, how cheerfully attentive. He was up because he wanted to surprise them with breakfast, and although they knew they were going to tease him, they were also well aware that his little acts of service constituted one of his favourite ways of expressing his boundless love for them. 

"Angel, come back to bed," AJ whined, shoving all of this aside as they stepped into the kitchen at last. Ezra looked up in shock, then smiled the most breathtakingly loving smile AJ had ever seen. 

"Merry Christmas, my love. I'm nearly done, I'll be in in just a second, okay?" 

"You'd better be," AJ threatened, but their own lips were already tugging up into a smile, the fake annoyance difficult to keep up in the face of such sincere, genuine affection. "And merry Christmas to you, too," they added, trying out a huffed breath, but their heart wasn't in it, and they knew Ezra could see right through them. 

Instead of getting defensive or annoyed back, Ezra simply stepped forward and gave AJ a soft little kiss, then pulled them into a loose, brief hug. 

"Go on, I'll be less than a minute, I promise!" 

AJ glared at him, but he just smiled back innocently, flicking a teatowel against their backside as they left. They flipped him off without looking around, and just smiled as he laughed, apparently rather pleased with himself. As soon as AJ reached the bedroom, they crawled back into bed, curling up sleepily and nuzzling at the pillow, wishing it was Ezra's chest. They let out a slow breath and ignored a stirring of odd anxiety in their stomach, a sudden, uncomfortable feeling that something was wrong. After all, they'd been dealing with similar little wobbles quite often in the days leading up to Christmas, thanks to their past difficulties with the season, and Ezra had been kind and understanding and promised them he'd make it amazing. And they trusted him. 

A few minutes later, the bedroom door swung open and Ezra walked in with a laden tray, flashing AJ a bright smile as he set it down on the bedside table. 

"You okay, my love?" 

AJ nodded, sitting up slowly and stifling a yawn just as Ezra sat down on the edge of the bed and reached over, delicately stroking their cheek. Smiling softly, AJ leaned into the tender touch, and Ezra chuckled quietly, leaning over to pull them into a light kiss. AJ eagerly grabbed at him, shuffling across the bed to be closer to him, the kiss breaking as Ezra laughed, dragging them into his arms.

"Come here, sweetheart," he murmured, and AJ giggled, hugging him tightly and burying their face in his neck. Strong arms wrapped around them, and they let out a happy little sigh, feeling safe and content and so perfectly warm. Until Ezra gently began to push them away. They groaned in protest, but he ignored them, rubbing their sides as he guided them to let go of him. "I know, but our breakfast will get cold," he soothed, his lips briefly finding AJ's cheek before they slid off his lap to sit next to him, stifling another yawn. They were hungry, they had to admit that, and when Ezra took a plate off the tray and handed it to them, laden with a thick waffle, bacon, and maple syrup, AJ couldn't deny how good it looked. 

"You don't have to eat the whole thing, of course," Ezra smiled, reaching over to ruffle their hair lightly. "But have some, okay?" 

"Thank you," AJ answered simply, planting a quick kiss on his cheek before focusing on their breakfast. They managed just over half of the massive waffle before giving up, setting the plate back on the tray and crawling into bed, flopping down on their back while Ezra finished his own food. 

A few minutes later, they felt the bed shift, and purred happily, their eyes still closed as Ezra moved to lay beside them, his hand stroking over their bare chest. 

"My love," he murmured, sounding almost sleepy as he pressed himself to AJ's side, his thumb stroking over their intact nipple slowly. Smiling to themself, AJ let out a deep breath, just enjoying the feeling of his hand on their bare skin, so innocent and gentle. He nuzzled at their jaw, and they turned their head, opening their eyes just as his lips brushed theirs, then connected in a proper, but brief kiss. 

"When d'you wanna go open presents, sweetheart?" Ezra asked softly as he broke away, bright blue eyes aglow with warmth and love, affection shining through in every little movement he made, his fingertips stroking over their ribs. 

"Whenever you want, angel," AJ answered simply, rolling over onto their side at last and letting their hand come to rest on Ezra's cheek, their forehead pressed against his ever so lightly. He smiled, and AJ's heart melted. 

They absolutely  _ loved  _ seeing Ezra so happy - it always warmed their heart and gave them so much confidence to know that he was happy  _ because of them.  _ They'd never really thought they could be a partner to someone like this, that they could genuinely make someone's life better, but their relationship with Ezra had unequivocally proven them wrong. 

"How about now?" He suggested eagerly, and AJ giggled softly, giving him a quick peck on the lips before breaking away from him and sliding off the bed. They kicked their shorts away hurriedly, then wandered across the room to their dresser, fully aware that Ezra was watching them. He was allowed to stare all he liked; they never felt objectified or lesser than under his gaze, he was an admirer, like an art critic enjoying a particularly fine painting, and as such, he was welcome to admire and fawn over and adore whenever they put themself on display for him. In fact, AJ allowed themself the indulgence of a private little smirk when they pulled their clean panties on and heard Ezra sigh softly in disappointment. It felt good to be really, truly, properly appreciated, after all. 

Still smiling, AJ tugged their Christmas pudding printed fluffy socks on, then one of their favourites of Ezra's t-shirts - baggy even on him, and so huge it nearly reached their knees, the collar slipping to the side to flash a good amount of their collarbone to the world. Ezra used it for messy chores like painting, but AJ absolutely loved it, and had mostly stolen it away from him at this point. Once the fabric had fallen around their thighs, they finally turned back to face their partner, finding him sitting up and shirtless. He flashed them a quick smile, then gestured vaguely towards his dresser. 

"There's a red jumper on top in the first drawer, could you grab it for me please, my love?" He announced, and AJ nodded, opening the drawer and pulling out the garment in question. It unfolded as they lifted it, and they couldn't help but giggle at the gaudy pattern of red and green Christmas paraphernalia as they walked back over to their partner and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. 

"Here you go. Your fifteenth Christmas sweater," they teased, and Ezra just rolled his eyes, pulling on a clean t-shirt before slipping the sweater on over it. 

"My mum loves buying them for me. And anyway, you like wearing them, so you can't complain," he pointed out with a grin, and AJ just shrugged, lifting their sweatpants off the top of the laundry basket and stepping into them. 

"Yeah, 'cause I look cute in them," they stated matter-of-factly, and squealed as Ezra suddenly lunged off the bed, growling. He managed to grab at their waist, but AJ twisted free, giggling breathlessly as they wrenched the bedroom door open and bolted down the hallway. Ezra sprinted after them, and AJ shrieked with laughter, jumping onto the couch and sticking their tongue out at him. He just grinned and leaned down, panting softly just before he kissed them, causing them to melt against him, their arms sliding around his neck, clinging to him. All too soon, though, he was breaking away, flashing AJ a small smile and kissing their cheek. 

"Let's make a start, hmm? Then we can cuddle and watch a movie before I have to prep dinner," he suggested softly, and AJ nodded, an odd stirring of nerves taking them by surprise. 

They'd never really done this before. Their parents had always been away on Christmas Day, and although their nannies had sometimes given them little gifts, they'd never had a full Christmas before, not with a tree and lots of presents, and they had no idea how it was supposed to go. Luckily, Ezra seemed to notice the way AJ tensed and kissed them one more time, his smile turning reassuring in that special, very convincing way of his. 

"I love you, my magpie. This is going to be fun, I promise. And I want you to know there's no right or wrong way to do any of this, yeah?" He murmured, taking their hands in his, his blue eyes full of gentle concern. "We're building our little family together, which means new traditions, new ways of doing things anyway. So we're just taking our time and doing what feels right and fun, yeah? I just want today to be about loving each other and having a good time," he soothed, and AJ took a deep breath, the word 'family' very nearly bringing them to tears. 

For some reason, that word hit them harder than even hearing Ezra refer to them as his partner for the first time had - it just sounded so...real and warm and  _ solid.  _ They were building something unique and special and loving all by themselves, just the two of them, and it was breathtaking.

But all AJ could do was nod, flashing a tiny smile and leaning into Ezra's chest.

"I've got you, it's okay," he murmured almost automatically, and AJ relaxed a little more, squeezing his hands tightly. 

"I know. I'm just feeling a bit emotional," they admitted quietly, and Ezra nodded, leaning his head against theirs lightly. 

"That's okay, sweetheart. Me too, really. After...after everything we've been through, it really feels like such a privilege to be here with you, like this. You are everything I could ever have asked for, and to think I nearly lost you, and now we're sitting together on Christmas morning, hugging and happy, it's...it's a lot to process," Ezra sniffed, then chuckled softly, letting go of AJ's hands to hug them tightly as tears pricked at their eyes. "But it's good stuff. And we have so much to look forward to," he added, and AJ took a deep, shuddering breath in, letting it all out in a rush as they wiped a lone tear off their cheek. 

"Yeah, it's just a little overwhelming," they answered in a small voice, and Ezra nodded slightly, just as his phone rang. 

"Fuck," he muttered, grabbing at it and checking the caller ID, then sighing irritably. "It's my mum, are you feeling okay for me to take this?" He asked, and AJ nodded, gently pulling away from his embrace. 

"Yeah, if you don't answer now, she'll just call every five seconds anyway," they pointed out with a slightly strained chuckle, and Ezra rolled his eyes. 

"You're absolutely right. I'll be back soon, my love," he smiled, then kissed them and stood up, hurrying off down the hall. 

So suddenly alone, AJ curled up immediately, then shivered and dragged a blanket over themself, sinking down to lay on the couch, staring off at nothing. The Christmas tree lights gave a lovely warm glow to the room, but AJ was blind to it, their whole body feeling incredibly heavy. With Ezra gone, it was far too easy to drift off into memories and longing. And knowing that he was talking to his mum just drove that icy spear deeper into AJ's heart - they would never have parents. Not parents in the sense of someone to love them and care about them and phone them at Christmas. To a certain extent, they'd been resigned to this fact over the years, but having to face that stark reminder of it in the form of Ezra's mum was far from easy. Closing their eyes, AJ did their best not to think about their childhood, instead reminding themself over and over that it was all behind them now, until Ezra came back, his hand coming to rest on their shoulder and making them jump. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, my love, did you not hear me coming?" He apologised hurriedly with a soft laugh, and AJ opened their eyes sluggishly, dragging themself up to sit back against the sofa. 

"Mm, half asleep," they mumbled, only really half lying, and Ezra sat down next to them, opening his arm out for them to fold up against his side. 

"My mum was as weird as usual," he announced, then heaved a deep sigh. "She told me that I would be in trouble if I didn't bring my 'girlfriend' to hers for Christmas next year," he groaned, shaking his head slightly. "No matter how many times I tell her, she can't seem to get it though her head that you're not my  _ girl _ friend. Besides, even if you were, I wouldn't want you to be my girlfriend next year," Ezra added, so casually that it took AJ a second or two to process what he'd actually said. 

As soon as the words got through to them, however, their breath caught in their throat, tears choking them, making their eyes and nose sting.  _ He didn't want to be with them next year.  _

It echoed over and over in their head, drowning Ezra out as he went on about something else, AJ's breathing getting more and more laboured, the tears threatening to spill, blurring their vision. 

"AJ? Are you...are you okay?"

AJ swallowed and tried to force a smile, blinking the tears away and nodding shakily as they looked down at their hands, but they knew that Ezra wouldn't buy it. 

"No, don't give me that, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice worried and soft, but that gentle tone utterly ruined by the words still twisting a dagger in AJ's chest. "What's wrong?"

And, with that, all the energy that had collapsed inward, dragging AJ into themself, down into that black pit of self-hatred, it all burst outwards, and the tears were running down their cheeks, anger and despair rising in equal measure. 

"You! You...Ezra, I want to be with you forever!" They choked out, unable to even attempt eye contact with him, their hands shaking in their lap. "I love you with all my heart, and I...I don't want this to end anytime soon! I thought we were building a family a-and-" 

"Whoah, sweetheart," Ezra rushed out hurriedly, and AJ stuttered into a shocked, fearful silence, sniffling as more tears fell, warm against their skin. Anguish made it almost impossible to breathe, their chest heaving, their whole body trembling. "This is just a huge misunderstanding, my love," he went on, those soft, plump hands cradling AJ's jaw, his body shifting closer to theirs, almost stifling. "I wouldn't want you to be my girlfriend next year, I'd want you to be my  _ wife,"  _ he said slowly, firmly, every word hitting AJ like a brick dropping into their stomach. Shock made their jaw go slack, their whole body freezing for a moment before sheer joy took over, and they flung themself at their partner. Laughing in surprise, Ezra caught them in his arms and held them tightly as they broke down crying, sobbing heavily with the complete overload of emotion. From contentment to sadness to relief to despair, and now to elation, AJ had been on a rough ride over the last fifteen minutes or so, and they let it all out with their face buried in Ezra's neck, his fingers in their hair as he rocked them slowly. 

After a few minutes, though, the realisation properly sank in - that Ezra had really, truly suggested to them that he wanted to marry them - and AJ began to calm down. The fierce joy and love settled into a strong, contented delight, and the tears started to slow as they gently pulled away from Ezra enough to rest their forehead on his, their eyes closed. 

"I want you to be my husband," they whispered, their voice still thick with tears and a little broken. But Ezra didn't seem to care; he was already tugging them into a deep, passionate kiss, his hands cupping their jaw as they tangled their fingers in his hair, clinging onto him tightly. And then he was breaking away, and AJ realised he was crying too, his blue eyes wet, his cheeks sticky. 

"Don't cry, angel, please," they sniffled, and he laughed, grinning as he took their hands, squeezing them tightly. 

"I'm happy! I'm so so happy, sweetheart, it's okay," Ezra soothed, ignoring the tears as a fresh round spilled down his cheeks. "I...I didn't mean to...to really say that, and I...I had no idea what you'd say," he admitted shakily, and AJ giggled, wiping their own cheeks with a trembling hand. 

"Then we're both stupid, because there's literally no way I would ever say no to spending the rest of my life with you," they breathed, and Ezra kissed them again, once again deep and passionate and everything AJ needed. 

After about ten minutes, AJ shifted, still curled up in Ezra's lap. They'd kissed and cried until they'd both run out of breath and tears, and now AJ was feeling rather warm, wrapped up in Ezra's arms and a thick blanket. Still feeling a bit shaky, they kicked the blanket off them, then turned and snuggled closer to their partner, purring when he squeezed them just a little tighter, a sleepy sigh escaping his lungs. 

"I wanna propose to you properly, y'know," he mumbled, and AJ shifted, stifling a yawn. "And I think we should talk through things more first. But I...I'm really glad we feel the same way." 

"Me too," AJ answered simply, tucking their head under Ezra's chin and smiling to themself as they settled, relaxing happily in his embrace. "I want to be with you forever, angel." 

"Me too," Ezra agreed quietly, stroking his hand down their back slowly and pressing a soft kiss to the side of their head. "We need to finish unwrapping all these presents, though, come on." 

Groaning, AJ allowed themself to be gently pushed off of Ezra's lap, unfolding reluctantly and standing up, immediately stretching up and grunting when their spine cracked. Ezra chuckled and leaned forward, giving one side of their ass a light squeeze and making AJ squeal in surprise, turning to glare at him. 

"Get on with it!" Ezra giggled, and AJ rolled their eyes, but nodded and reached for one of their badly-wrapped gifts, quickly handing it to Ezra. 

"Here you are, my love," they grinned, with plenty of sarcastic sweetness, and Ezra snorted, tugging them down by their waist to sit next to him. 

The next half hour or so went by with plenty of giggling and happy kisses, and lots of gentle, loving teasing. Although they weren't able to afford any big, fancy presents, they'd both put a lot of thought into the little things they'd gotten for one another, and AJ was absolutely delighted both with Ezra's reactions to the gifts they'd gotten him, and the ones he'd found for them. In AJ's mind, though, nothing would top the gift Ezra had given them before they'd even started unwrapping any presents - the gift of his love, his assurance that he wanted to be with them for as long as they wanted to be with him: forever. And they had a feeling Ezra felt the same. 

Once all the presents were unwrapped, they just sat for a while, AJ curled up with their side against Ezra's chest, their legs laid over his lap and his arm tight around their waist while they watched some Christmas-themed TV and just relaxed in one another's company. At one point, Ezra got up and came back with two mugs of peppermint hot chocolate, and then they were back to cuddling, wrapped up in warm blankets and sipping their cocoa together. It was absolute  _ bliss.  _

AJ couldn't remember a Christmas they'd enjoyed half as much as this quiet time with the love of their life, but they were just glad they had it now, and that they had many more years like this one to look forward to. Eventually, though, the peace was disturbed by the need to put dinner in the oven, and the two got up reluctantly, AJ wandering after Ezra into the kitchen, despite his insistence that he didn't need help.

"I like watching you cook," AJ answered simply, and Ezra rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything, pulling his apron on quickly. 

"Most of it is done already, I just have to prep the chicken and put it in the oven," he explained, and AJ just shrugged, then slipped past him to get to the kettle, ignoring his good-natured grumbling that they were getting in the way. They flicked the kettle on and got a mug out, tipping some instant coffee into it and looking down at the brown powder vaguely. 

"You okay?" 

The question nearly made AJ jump, but they looked around and flashed their partner a small smile, just as the kettle clicked. "Yeah, just sleepy," they hummed, turning back to the kettle and filling their mug quickly. "How about some music? I can grab the speaker from our room?" 

"I would love that, my sweetheart," Ezra replied, and AJ nodded, stirring their coffee and setting it down out of Ezra's way before hurrying off down the hall. By the time they got back to the kitchen, Ezra was already completely engrossed in doing something involving butter, herbs, and a raw chicken, so AJ just took their coffee and sat down at the little kitchen table before setting a generic Christmas playlist running through their bluetooth speaker. 

It started with humming, then quiet, almost under-the-breath singing, and by the time the chicken was in the oven, both of them had progressed to full-on belting and dancing around the kitchen. AJ couldn't stop grinning, following Ezra as he held their hands and whirled them around again and again and caught them in his arms for a dip. They shrieked with delighted laughter, silenced immediately by him tugging them back up onto their feet and straight into a kiss, which they, as always, leaned into eagerly. Ezra hugged them tight, one arm around their waist, his other hand spread against their back, and AJ broke the kiss to bury their face in his neck, still breathing a little heavily from the silly dancing. 

"I love you. I can't imagine being this happy with anyone else," AJ sighed contentedly, and Ezra purred, nuzzling at the side of their head. 

"Me neither, sweetheart. You're such a beautiful person, inside and out, and I am  _ so  _ lucky to have you. I love you too, forever." 

Their bottom lip wobbling dangerously, AJ simply pressed themself closer into Ezra's chest and relaxed, allowing themself to be completely held by him. Contentment and love seemed to fill the air around them, weighing heavy, but warm and comforting in its presence, right up until  _ Santa Buddy  _ came on over the speaker and Ezra groaned. 

"Way to ruin a fucking moment, I  _ hate  _ this song!" He growled, and AJ giggled, gently pulling away from his arms and kissing his cheek as they slid their hands into his, interlacing their fingers. 

"Oh? You don't like this one?" They teased, then started to sing along dramatically, making him roll his eyes in fake annoyance, completely unconvincing thanks to his huge grin. 

"No, I hate this one, shush!" Ezra laughed, but AJ took a step forward, still singing and giggling in between the lines as they backed Ezra up against the counter. As soon as they had him pinned, they let the smile drop away, their voice changing, becoming slower, more sultry, their gaze half-lidded and full of seduction. 

"Santa _baby,_ so hurry down my chimney tonight," AJ practically purred, then bit their lip lightly as the change in lyrics got through to Ezra, his eyes widening slightly, his pupils already fully blown. 

"Holy fuck, this is my new favourite Christmas song," he muttered, and AJ whispered the last lyric again as they leaned in, letting their lips brush his, then connect in a kiss that deepened rather quickly, both of them feeling just a little needy after that teasing display. As AJ pulled Ezra closer, their hips pressed firmly to his, they reached around him to the counter, finding the rough, papery skin of an onion and closing their fingers around it. 

Then, all in one moment, they pulled away from Ezra's lips, shoved the onion down his jumper, and ran away, already giggling as he made a confused sound. By the time he realised what they'd done, they were already climbing into the wardrobe to hide, slapping their hand over their mouth to stifle their laughter at his fake shout of rage. 

"AJ! You-...you  _ foul fiend!"  _ He snarled, clearly having to suppress his own mirth as he stomped down the hall dramatically. "I'm going to get you, and you're going to be sorry!" 

AJ heard the bedroom door creak and snorted, still trying their very hardest not to laugh as they heard footsteps. 

"Now where could that little devil be hiding?" Ezra asked loudly, and AJ grinned to themself, biting their lip as the footsteps came closer, then moved away towards the bed. Still trembling with the effort of suppressing their laughter, AJ slowly began to unfold, pushing the door open enough to see Ezra facing away from them, getting down onto his knees to look under the bed. AJ took their chance quickly and slipped out of the wardrobe, making Ezra jump as he quickly looked around and grinned at them. 

"Hey, angel," AJ giggled, and shrieked playfully when he jumped up and lunged at them. Giving in, they allowed themself to be caught, letting out a happy sigh as Ezra's arms closed around their waist, his body pressing against theirs, his breath quick in their ear. 

"I love you," he murmured suddenly, and AJ hurriedly clutched at his back, a rush of emotion taking them by surprise as they buried their face in his shoulder. 

"I love you too." 

For once, AJ had found Christmas Day to be a wholly wonderful experience, the only downside to which being that it went by so quickly. Dinner had been delicious, playing board games with Ezra had been delightfully competitive, and snuggling up with Ezra on the couch and watching a cheesy romcom had been as relaxing and joyful as ever. But now, AJ was curled up in bed, reflecting on a day that had gone by all too fast, while waiting for Ezra to get changed. They stared at the sheets, their mind wandering until the bed sank and Ezra slowly stroked their hair back from their face. 

"Magpie? You look upset," he murmured worriedly, moving to lay beside them and stroking their cheek as they dragged their golden gaze up to meet those concerned, loving blue eyes. 

"I'm just emotional," AJ admitted softly, and Ezra shifted closer to them, waiting patiently for them to elaborate. Taking a deep, shaky breath in, AJ let their eyes drift again, not quite looking at Ezra. "I...I just...I never thought I'd like Christmas, and I have so many bad memories," they began, swearing at themself in their own head as their voice began to tremble immediately. "But with you...you made it so good, a-and I wanna say thank you, thank you for making this time of year so much easier for me, for helping me actually enjoy it," they mumbled, forcing the words out around the lump in their throat and wiping their eyes hurriedly. 

"Oh,  _ sweetheart," _ Ezra sighed, enveloping AJ in his warm embrace immediately, his chest soft under their cheek, his grip on them strong and protective. "You're so, so welcome," he went on, his voice reflecting AJ's own shakiness as he pulled them even closer to him, clutching them tightly. "I love you, magpie, so  _ fucking  _ much, and I'd give you the world if I could. You deserve it," he choked, thick fingers tangling in AJ's hair gently. "But it isn't over just yet, yeah? There's Boxing Day tomorrow, we'll see all our friends and everything, right? It'll be fun," he pointed out gently, taking a deep, slow breath and evening out his voice. 

Smiling to themself shakily, AJ simply pressed themself closer to Ezra wordlessly, clinging to him until the rush of emotion began to subside, their body relaxing, their breath slowing ever so slightly. Then they pulled away from Ezra's arms carefully, untangling themself just enough to kiss him softly, their hands on his cheeks, dragging him deeper. Ezra made a soft noise of surprise, but leaned into the contact happily, just as AJ pulled away and rested their forehead on his, closing their eyes slowly. 

"I couldn't ask for a better  _ future husband, _ y'know," they whispered, still caressing his cheeks with their thumbs as they spoke. "With you, I always know there's plenty to look forward to." 

Ezra chuckled softly, but the laugh was a little strained, and when he opened his eyes, a tear ran down his cheek, spilling against AJ's thumb. "You make me so fucking happy, AJ," he announced quietly, and AJ grinned, biting their lip for just a moment. 

"Ditto," they giggled, then yanked their future husband back in for another kiss, basking in his loving affection, the feeling of his hands on their skin, his lips on theirs until he finally pulled away and hugged them tighter. Smiling to themself contentedly, AJ stifled a yawn and cuddled up to their almost-fiance, closing their eyes as he silently drew them closer. As obliging as ever for their angel, AJ cuddled up to him eagerly and pressed themself against his softness, just allowing themself to soak up all that joy and love until they eventually fell asleep, happier than they had been in a very long time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!   
> I hope you enjoyed this, do please let me know what you thought! I enjoyed writing this a lot, fluff with these two always makes me smile :D   
> Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to all of you guys! I hope you're all having a great winter season so far!   
> (And maybe check out the charity zine I'm doing - @GOWinterWonder on twitter!)  
> <3<3<3


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